Plain English - How to use it Effectively

Writing clearly and concisely is a key skill, particularly when complex issues are being dealt with. This course explains what plain English is and how to use it effectively and without diluting your message. It is ideal for everyone whose role involves producing regular written work and who would like to improve its quality.
• Know the correct definition of plain English and why it works so well
• Understand the key principles of "readability"
• Have strategies for naturally adapting all your business writing to make it more "readable"
• Know more about how sentence structure can influence the message
• Be more confident in both grammar and punctuation

Setting the Scene

• What will we cover today?
• What are my priorities and what do I want from the day?

What is Plain English

• The Plain English campaign
• The Crystal Mark
• What are the elements that help a document conform to plain English standards?

Readability

• What it is and how you measure it
• The features that one document more readable than others
• Keeping it simple without being simplistic
• Active versus passive tense
• How formal must I be?
• Jargon and how to avoid it
• What are abstract nouns and why I should avoid them

Writing for results

• How to structure a document properly and quickly
• Focus on the positive
• Getting the tone right
• How to construct a sentence for maximum benefit
• Using lists effectively
• Things you thought you couldn't do - but you can now

Your grammar questions answered

• Correcting some common errors, especially apostrophes!
• Other questions or concerns answered

Conclusion